Trusted traveler credits

  Credit Card Reference, Airfare Booking Strategies

Even if you only travel a few times a year, you'll be grateful to have access to TSA PreCheck and Global Entry. TSA PreCheck significantly speeds up the security screening process at most US airports. Global Entry lets you skip the regular immigration lines when you return to the US.

For most travelers, membership is easily worth the fees. But thanks to travel credit cards, you can get the benefits of Global Entry and TSA PreCheck for free.

Many travel credit cards, including some of the cards you are likely to want anyway, pay for the cost of your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fees. If you have one of these cards, it doesn't cost you anything to get a fast pass through security and immigration.

Jump to

• Do you need one of these cards?
• All the “consumer” cards with primary car rental coverage
• Small business credit cards with primary car rental coverage

Trusted traveler programs

There are four different trusted traveler programs run by the government and an additional privately-run program.

• TSA PreCheck. If you have TSA PreCheck, you can access special (usually shorter) security screening lines at over 200 US airports. Once you get to the screening area, you don't need to take off your shoes and belt or remove your laptop and 3-1-1 liquids from your bag. According to the TSA, 95% of PreCheck passengers wait less than 5 minutes to pass through security. Once you complete your application, you'll get a "Known Traveler Number" that you can attach to your airline reservations to activate your benefits. $85 per person for 5 years. Children under 13 don't need their own membership. TSA PreCheck website.
• Global Entry. Global Entry can let you skip the regular immigration lines when you return to the country. At most airports with international flights, you can scan your passport and fingerprints at a kiosk rather than waiting in potentially long lines to talk to an immigration agent. Global Entry also lets you special Nexus and Fast lanes when you enter the US at many land border crossings (but not when you are entering Canada and Mexico). In addition, there is a growing number of international airports where you can use Global Access to bypass their normal immigration lines. Global Entry website. The fee for Global Entry is $100 per person for 5 years, but it includes access to TSA PreCheck. Since you are only paying $15 more for the extra Global Entry privileges, we would only recommend getting only PreCheck if you need to short circuit the wait to finish your Global Entry interview—even if you were paying out-of-pocket.
• NEXUS. NEXUS is a joint program operated by the US and Canada. It speeds up both airport and land border crossings between the two countries. You'll get access to special Nexus lanes in both direction at most land border crossings and can use the Canadian-equivalent to the Global Entry kiosks at Canadian airports. To be approved, you'll need to be interviewed by Canadian immigration at a one of a limited number of locations. Nexus has a fee of $50 for 5 years and includes Global Entry and TSA PreCheck. There is no charge for children under 18. If you apply by mail, you'll only pay $50 CAD, instead of $50 USD. NEXUS website.
• SENTRI. SENTRI allows you to use special lanes when entering the US from Mexico. You'll also get access to Global Entry and TSA PreCheck. It costs $122.50 for 5 years. Children under 18 are free with two adult applications. SENTRI website.
• CLEAR. CLEAR provides access to special security screening lanes at dozens of airports and a handful of stadiums and other locations. Rather than having your ID checked by a TSA agent, you'll have your face and fingerprint scanned at a kiosk. CLEAR lines are often significantly shorter than even the TSA PreCheck lines, so a CLEAR membership can save you time at the airport. Once you get to the screening area, the normal screening rules apply. If you also have TSA PreCheck you can take advantage of the more convenient screening process. If you don't, you can't. CLEAR is operated by a private company and costs $180 per year, but it is easy to access at a discounted price (see below). CLEAR website.

Trusted traveler credits

Many credit cards come with a TSA Precheck / Global Access credit.

• To take advantage of the credit, simply use the card to pay your application fee. You'll automatically receive a statement credit that refunds the fee. In most cases, the credit will pay either the $100 for Global Entry or the $85 for TSA PreCheck. With a few cards, the maximum credit is $85. So if you use it to pay for your Global Entry fee, you'll still need to pay the $15 difference.
• Each card's credit can only be used every 4 or 5 years. Since memberships last for 5 years, each credit card limits your use of the credit to either once every 4 years, or once every 5 years.
• If you need to pay fees for several members of your family, you'll need several different cards. You could easily have a few different cards that have this benefit, so each person's application can use a different card. If you need and want to pick up a new card before your application, you'll be able to use the credit right away. You just need to wait before you can use it again.

CLEAR Discounts and Credit

CLEAR normally costs $180 per year for the first member, and $50 per year for up to 3 additional adults. Children under 18 can accompany members through the lines without their own membership.

However, no one needs to pay full price. Anyone with a Delta SkyMiles or United MileagePlus account, even one with no miles, gets access to a lower price of $119. Delta or United elites or credit card holders can get a membership for $109.

If you have , you'll receive a $100 per year credit towards a clear membership, dropping the cost of the first person's membership to only $9 or $19. Additional people can still be added for $50 each. Since the credit is based on calendar years, you can use it twice the first year you have the Green card. You could wait till January to add additional family members or you could use it to renew a little early.

Credit cards that offer trusted traveler credits

For most people, signing up for credit cards, just to receive travel benefits, good reward earning rates, or lucrative signup bonuses, isn't an irresponsible thing to do. It won't kill your credit rating—it just might improve it. But, if you have a problem with credit, or you aren't organized enough to avoid unwanted credit card fees, you'll need to stick to our other strategies for discounted travel. For more information, see our Credit Cards 101 guide.

Cards you might already have or want

Many of the cards that you might already have or might want to get include trusted traveler credits.

• Sapphire Reserve Card. For its excellent reward rates as part of the Chase Unlimited combo, priority pass membership, free travel insurance, primary rental car insurance, and free roadside assistance.
• Amex Platinum Card. For its many benefits.
• United Explorer Credit Card. For its free checked bags benefit and access to extra reward rates
• BOA Premium Rewards Card. For its excellent cashback rewards with a Bank of America Platinum Honors relationship.
• Southwest Performance Business Card. For its easier pathway to a Southwest Companion Pass.
• Altitude Reserve Card. For its excellent reward rate on digital wallet purchases and other benefits.
• Citi Prestige Card. For its high reward rate on restaurants, online travel agencies, and possibly airfares, Priority Pass membership, and unique 4th night free benefit.
• Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card. For its annual free night certificate and priority pass membership.
• IHG Premier Card. For its annual free night certificate.

Other high-end cards with credits include the American Airlines Executive Card, UBS Infinite Card, CNB Crystal Infinite Card, and HSBC Premier Elite card.

= Cards to get if you need a credit

If you are about to apply for a membership and don't have a card with an available trusted traveler credit, you could always apply for a new card. It should only take a week or two until you receive the card and can use to pay your application fee.

If there isn't a card that you've been meaning to add your credit card collection, you might as well choose a card that has a valuable signup bonus. The net signup bonuses listed below are the "standard" offers. Better offers may be available. The Best Credit Card Signup Bonuses.

Card	Normal Net Signup Value
Card	$500

Small business credit cards with primary car rental coverage

Primary rental car coverage is more common on small business credit cards, than on personal cards. You can usually get a small business card even if you have a very small business. However, you aren’t supposed to use them for non-business purchases. We are reluctant to recommend using one of these cards for your personal car rentals. If you get in an accident, it is very unlikely, but possible, that someone would look into whether it was an actual business-related rental, and refuse your claim if it wasn't.

Ink Preferred Guide	The Chase Ink cards are among the best available small business cards. Unfortunately, they are subject to the Chase 5/24 rule. If you have a small business and aren't blocked by the Chase 5/24 rule, you probably want at least one of these cards. They all come with Primary Rental Car Insurance.
Marriott Credit Card Guide	The discontinued Marriott Rewards Premier Business card is similar to the personal version, but comes with primary rental car insurance.  Every year you have the card, you’ll get a free night certificate that you can use for rooms valued at up to 25,000 pooints per night. $99 annual fee.
Southwest Credit Card Guide	The Southwest Business cards both come with primary rental car insurance. $99 annual fee.

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